Internal-combustion engine.



J. A. NIGKELSUN. INTERNAL GOMBUSTION ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.6, 190G.

Patented Aug. 9,1910.

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MLTWMMQZ WM INVENTOR WITNESSES: t 01 Qhf 81% UM J. A. NIGKELSON. INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE.

APPLIUATION FILED JAN. 5, 1006.

Patented Aug. 9, 1910.

3 HTS-SHEET 2.

ATTORNEY A1 NI GK ELSON. INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 5,1906. 966,948, Patented Aug. 9, 1910.

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nnifrnn snares PAZlTEhlT enrich;

JOSEPH A. NICKELSON, on NEW YORK,

I YORK;

To all whom it may concern:

Belt, known that I, Josnrn A. Nio'itnnson, a cltizen oi the United States, residing at Morris Heights, ir the city and State oi" New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Internal-(Jombustion Engines, of which the following is a specification, 3

This invention relates to internal coinbuslion engines, and the object of the invention isto provide a motor ofthis type which is of simple and substantial construction, which is reversible and self-starting in either direction and which is provided with a com ;pact1y arranged and easily operated control system.

Reversible internal combustion engines have been constructed heretofore having a set otcams for actuating the various valves when the engine is running in one direction and another set of cams angularly displaced about the cam-shaft from the cams of the first named set tor actuating the valves when the shaft which carries the cam or (:lll'llSlJll its axis independently of the driving niechanis'm therefor, as, forinstance, the engineshaft, so that a single set of earns will in one position actuate the valves to operate the engine in one (flirection, and in, another position Will perform the same function for running the engine in the opposite direction. The ineanswhich I prefer to employ for this purpose is simple and (IOIIIPHQlland isrcadily operated to rotate the cam-shaft on its axis without turning the engine-shaft and With-- out affecting hegearing by which the en gineshaft drives the camshaft.

Internal combustion] engines have coin nonly been provided "Wllfll means for starting them by admitting compressed ,airto one an more of the cylinders. I adopt this expedient by providing one or niore of the ficylinders with \alved inlets for admitting compressed aii' theieto and in combination INTERNAL- COMBUSTION ENGINE.

- v Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed January 5, 1906. Serial No. 294,705.

, admitting liability ofbreakage and faulty lrt of the valves.

iv. Y.., ASFJIGNORTO nevi YORK YACHT, LAUNCH & ENGINE COMPANY, or MORRIS HEIGHTS, NEW YORK,

A CORPORATION OF NEW Patented Ana; ll, Milli.

therewith I provide a niasllair-valve in the pipe leading to these inlets and means nilm'rcby throwing intoopcrative position the came for operating the air-valves also operates to open the master air-valve.

I have illustrated thepreferred" embodiment of my invention in the ii(:(:011]]721}1)l11{ drawings, in which--- i l igure l is an elevation, partly in section, ol:'.a gascngrinc; Fig. 2 is ail-enlarged elcvalion partly in section, of a ])Olll01l(}'li the same; Figs 3 is :in-end view; and Figs. 4 and 5 are detail views illustrating the operation of the exhaust and compressed air valves respectively.

In these drawings, l have illustrated a sin cylinder, internal combustion engine, but If \visli' it understood that iny invention isQnot limited in this respect, as the principlcsthcreof are initially applicable to an engine oi one or any other number of cylinders desired.

The cylinders are indicated by the numerals l to l As tannprcssed air lonslarl'ing is preforabl y admitted tothrc'c oi the cylimflcrs, I (221.. them in pairs and provide means for compressed air to one cylinder of each pair, as similar castings can therefore be u ed for the several pairs of cylim rably, the cylinders are water-jacketed the \va-ler for cooling being carried to and from the engine by the pipes 7 of a water circulating system in the usual manner. The cylinders are secured upon a frame 8 carried on suitable supports 5), which are socured at their lower ends to a base frame 10.

Suitable pistons, not shown in the drawings,

are adapted to reciprocate in the cylinders and are connected by connecting rods to cranks on the engineshaft'll in the usual manner. Sight-feed liil'lricators 12 are providcd for admitting lubricating oil to the p stons. 13, 14; and 15 indicate branch pipes leading from a main gaspipc to an opening; in the upper end ofcach of the cylinders to carry gas thereto. The inlet for the gas to each ofthe cylinders is provided with a. suitable valve, spring-pressed to the closed position, and these valves may be operated by suction or by carnscoacting with the stems in the engine illus-:t1.atl3d, these valves are operated by suction, but it will be understood that they may be operated by wins in a manner similar to that which will be hereinafter. described in connection with the operationof the valves for the exhaust from the cylinders "of the products of combustion and the air which is used for starting.

Communicating with each cylinder is an exhaust outlet provided with a valve 16, the stem 17 of which extends through a suitable opening in the cylinder casting and is provided with a. collar 18 between which and a portion of the cylinder casting a spring 19 is coiled about the valvestem and adapted to move the valve to the closed position. 0011]- municating with one cylinder of each pair, that is, cylinders 1, 3 and 5, is an inlet opening 20, for compressed air, to which openings are connected branch pipes 21 connected to a.

compressed air-pipe 22. In each of these air-inlet openings is a valve 23, the stem 24 of which extends down and is provided with a spring 25 for moving the valve to the closed position similar to the spring 19 of the exhaust-valve. The compressed-air pipe 22 leads to a suitable reservoir 26, in which compressed air is stored, the air being com-- pressed in any suitable manner, as by an aircompressor geared to the engine shaft. l/Vithin a suitable casing 27 in the air-pipe 22 is a. master air-valve adapted to be operated by a stem 28 and having a suitable spring to move the valve to the closed position.

Mounted for rotation in bearings carried by the supports 9, is a. shaft 29 carrying the cams for operating the exhaust-valves 16 for all of the cylinders and the compressedair valves 23 for admitting compressed air to cylinders 1., 3 and 5. As is usual in internal-combustion engines, this shaft is arranged to be driven by the engine-shaft at .one-half the speed of the engine-shaft, but

I provide means'by which the shaft may be turned on its axis through a definite angle independently of the engineshaft and with out affecting the gearing by which the engine-sha-ft' drives it. ()n the engine-shaft 11,

1s a pinion 30 (Fig. 3), which meshes with a gear3l carried by a suitable stub-shaft. The intermediate gear 31 meshes with a gear 32, which is adapted to drive the cam-shaft 29. The arrangement of this gearing is such that gear 32 is driven at one-half the speed of the engine-shaft 11. On the end of the cam-shaft 29 are one or more spirally formed ridges or keys 33, and fitting on this end of the shaft is a bushing 34, the bore. of which is provided with one or more spirally formed grooves or keyways corresponding with the ridges 33 and into which the ridges 33 extend, the arrangement being such that movement of bushing 34 axially of shaft 29 .uses relative rotation of the shaft and bushing. On the exterior of bushing '34 are one or more keywaysextending parallel to the axis of the bushing. The gear 32 is formed integral with a long sleeve '35 mounted for rotation in a bearing 35 secured to the frame of the engine, and on the interior of this sleeve are one or more keys which extend into the keyways on the exterior of the bushing 34, the arrangement being such that bushing 34 and gear 32must rotate to ether in any position of the movement of %ushing 34 axially of shaft 29. In the end of bushing 34, beyond the end of sleeve 35, is a peripheral groove into which extends a two-part ring 36 and links 37 connect this ring with an operating lever 38 pivotally mounted upon the base 10, extending upward therefrom to a convenient position and provided at its upper end with an operating handle. The lever may also be provided with a suitable spring-pressed retaining latch coacting with a notched sector 39. Secured on the cam-shaft 29 are three cams 40 for actuating the compressed-air inlet valves 23, and six cams 41 for actuating the exhaust outlet valves 16 in a manner which will be hereinafter more fully described. Mounted in suitable bearings depending from the under side of the frame 8 and arranged for axial movement in its bearings is a shaft. 42 carrying the lifters for the valve-stems 17 and 24. The construction of these lifters is best shown in Figs. 4 and 5. Each of the lifters consists of a. frame 43 loosely mounted on the shaft 42 but held against axial movement relatively thereto by suitable collars. Pivoted 'in the lower part of the frame 43 is a roller 44, which bears upon the periphery of the operating cam of the lifter and one edge of which is beveled off. Secured on the top of the frame 43 is a plate 44 on which bears the lower end of the valve-stem which is to be operated by the cam on which the roller 44 bears. A rack 45 is formed in the shaft 42, with which meshes a toothed sector 46 carried by a shaft 47 mounted in suitable bearings and to which is secured a lever 48 having an operating handle. This handle may also be provided with a spring-pressed retaining latch cooperating with notches in a sector 49. In order to *hold shaft 42 against a springing movement which would carry the'teeth of rack 45 out of mesh with those of the sector 46, a bracket 50 extends downwardly from shaft 47 upon which it is loosely mounted and at. its lower endcarries a roller 51 on which the shaft'42 bears. On the lever 48 is. a projection 48 (Fig. 5) which when the lever is thrown to the position indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 2, engages the stem 28 of the master air-valve and opens. the valve.

Each of the exliaust-valve-operating cams 4.1 (Fig. 4) has a raised portion 52, which when the cam-shaft 29 is rotated, coacts with the roller 44 on the lifter 43 for that cam to 'raise the lifter and thus-open the exhaustvalve.- 011 the side o f the cam opposite the 3O "1, 3 and 5, is provided with two raised portionsfrl diametrically opposite each other tion on eachexhanst cam 41 engages the roller 44 on the lifter for that cam; but-when mechanism connected thereto and extending to a position convenient for the operator.

The operation of the engine will now be described. In order to start the engine, the operator turns lever 48 on its pivot to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig 2, thus moving the lifter-shaft 42 axially by 1 means of the rack l5. and sector 46. In movlever 48 is thrown to the position indicated;

by the dotted lines in Fig. 2, thus moving 5 lifter-shaft-42 and the liftersthereon axially of the shaft, the lifters are carried to such a position that both of the raised portions and-53 on each cam 41 engage the roller it on the lifter for that cam and actuate the hfter to open the exhaust valve whose stem rests thereon. .Also, the raisednportion 53, \\'l11Cl1 operates to open the .exhaust'valve while starting durmg the stroke of the engine corresponding to the compression stroke. ofnormalruiniing, is smaller than the ralsed o portion 52, so that in starting the exhaustvalve is held open by this raised portion 53 for a shorter period and a slight compression is obtained, so that if anygas isadmitted with the compressed" air on the admission stroke, it will be compressed and ignited and its expanslon Wlll aid in driving the engine.

Each of the cams 40 (Fig. 5) for operating the compressed-air; inlet valves of cylinders and beveled 011' at one edge; these are so dis posed upon the cam that when lifter-shaft 42 is in the osition for normal running,

neither one 0 these raised portions on the camoperates the lifter 43 and movable valvemember corresponding thereto, but when lifter-shaft 42 is moved axially by lever 48 to the starting position, both of the raised portions operate the lifter. The three earns 40 for operating the compressed-air inletvalves are secured on the cam-shaft 29in such positionthat the raised portionson eifcn of them are displagedangularly from those of 1'llQ QtllQlEtWO'CfiIHS by 120 degrees, as will bi? well understood. Also the corresponding raised portions on the six cams 4L for opera'ting theexhaustwalves aredisplacod one from another by sixty degrees.

The ignition of the charges of gas admitted to the cylinders during normal running of the engine may be effected in any suitable manner. I prefer to employ the j um p-spark method, and for this purpose I provide. on the sleeve 3501f the gear 321*: gear meshing with a gear 56 carried by a shaft 57, on which shaft mounted the movable member of a distributerbS, the other member of which is provlded with six bindingposts 59,

between narrow limits, in order to adjust the lead of the spark, by any suitablc operating l l l I lip-stroke the i in full lines in Fig. 2, thus p shaft 42 tolsuch aposition that the rollers ing the lever 48 in this manner, the projection l8 thereon engages the stem 2; of the master air-valve, thus opening the valve and admitting compressed air from the reservoir 26. through pipe 22 and branchpipesil, to theair.inlet-valves. ll'hen the litter shat't 42 andthe litters thereon are shifted in this manner. the roller l-l on one of the three lifters forthe compressed-air inlet-valves 23 is engaged by a raised por tionlolon one of the cams i0 and is raised thereby. the beveled sides of the roller and raised portion facilitating this, and the lifter being raised in this manner actuates its j valve-stem Z-l to open the compressed air inlet .valve 23 of one of the three cylinders l. 3 and .The an admitted to the cylinder acts on the piston thereof to turn the engineshaft and the gearing between the engineshaft and the cam-shaft causes the latter to rotate so that another cam 40 actuatcs its valve 23 and coinpressed air is admitted to another one of the three cylindersas soon "as the piston thereof begins adown stroke.

The movement of the lifter shatt 42hr lever 48 carries the lifters for the exhaust-valves into position for them to. be operated by both of. the raised portions 52 and 53 on the cams 41. As the raised portions 52 and 53 "of the exhaust valve ean'rfor a cylinder are angularly displaced from the raised portig ms 54 on the cam 40 for the air mletvalves of that cylinder by 90 degrees, the exhaust outlet-valve will be opened on each lip-stroke ot' the -piston,-in order to permit during the its expansion acted on. ,the piston on the down-stroke. The admission of com Jressed air tothe three cylinders successively thus starts the engine and brings it up to speed in a very few revolutions, the engine running as a two-cycle air motor, and at the same time the other three cylinders draw in charges of gas which are exploded and ex hausted in the usual manner and assist in starting the engine. vThe operator then throws the handle .4816 the position shown moving the lifter- 4-4 of tl:e lit'ters forathdair inletsvalvesuare not actuated by the: raised portions on the cams 40 and the rollers on the litters for the cxhaust valwas are operated by only the raised portions 52 of the teams 41. The engine will then operate in the usual manner infour-cycle gas-engines, the gas being admitted to each cylinder on one dowlrstrokc exhaust of the air which by u '20 angle, preferably ninety degrees.

of the piston by the opening of the gas inletvalve by suction, compressed on the upstroke, ignited and expanded during the next down-stroke. and the products of combus- 5 tion exhausted from the cylinder on the upstroke by the opening of the exhaust-valve to by the raised portion 52 of cam all.

In order to reverse the direction of rotation of the engine-shaft, the engine is brought to rest in the usual manner and the operator moves the lever 35 to the position shown in dotted lines in Fi 2. By means of the links 2-37 and the ring 36, this operates ,to move the bushing 34: axially of the camshaft 29, and by means of the spirallyformed keys on the end of the cam-shaft extending into spiral keyways in the bore of the'bushing, this movement of 'the bushing rotates the ca11islmft through a definite This movement of the cam-shaft, however, is ett'ected independently of the engine-shaft and without in any way affecting the gearing by which the engine-shaft drives the cam-shaft, as the keys on the interiorof the sleeve 35, extending into keyways on the exterior of bushing 3A, which areparallel to the axis of the cam-shaft 29, maintain the driving relation of gear 32 to the cam-shaft. The engii'ie may then be started in the opposite direction as. before by throwing lever 48 to the position shown in dotted lines, but in this position of 'the cam-shaft 25.) the "aised portion 5% of the air-inlet cam it) which raises the lifter 43 when liftershaft 42 is moved axially, is the one corresponding to the cylinder whose piston is in such a position therein that the admission of compressed air to the cylinder will start the engine in the desired direction. As soon as the engine comes up to speed, the startinglever to is thrown back to its normal position and the engine is run in the reverse direction as a four-cycle gas-engine. It will 45 thus be seen that'tlie engine is started by the movement of a single lever, l-iol'ding the lever in the position to which it is moved for a few seconds and then moving it back to its initial position, the two positions of the lever being indicated by the notches. in the sector 49. This movement of the lever ope ates to admit compressed air to the cylinder whose piston is in position to start the engine in the desired direction and as the cam shaft is rotated by the engine shaft air is admitted to three cylinders successively as ill0l'].',])lSi()llS begin down strokes. This is true for either direction of rotation of the engine. The reversal of direction is eti'eetcd by a. single movement of lever 38 which turns the cam-shaft on its axis ninety degrees relatively to the engine shaft. \Vhen the cam-shaft is in this relation air for starting would be. admitted first to the cylinder whose piston is in the position for starting in the desired direction and then to all three cylinders successively as before as their pistons begin down strokes and the exhaust valves would be operated at the proper times both during starting and normal running to exhaust the air and the products of combustion to the atmosphere. \Vhen the engine is started in the same or reverse direction soon after stopping it would be unnecessary in many cases to use the compressed air, but whenever the engine does not start of itselfthe compressed air devices can be quickly brought into operation.

Having described my invention, whatI claim is: t

1. In an internal combustion engine, a

plurality of cylinders, a gas inlet and eX- haust outlet for each cylinder, air inlets for certain of said cylinders, valves for said inlets and outlets, a cam shaft driven by the engine shaft, a pair of cams on said shaft for each cylinder provided with an air inlet, each of saidcams having two raised portions, a lifter for each cam, the lifter for one cam of each pair being adapted to actuate the air inlet valve and. the lifter for the other cam .being adapted to actuate the exhaust valve of the corresponding cylinder,-

means for moving the lifters simultaneously into position to be actuated by both the 'aised portions on the air-inlet and exhaust cams corresponding thereto, means for moving said lifters simultaneoi-isly into such position thatthc air-inlet cams do not operate their lifters and only one of the raised portions on each of the exhaust cams operates its lifter, and means for rotating said cam shaftthrough a predetermined angle relatively to the engine shaft to reverse the direction in which the engine shaft is driven, substantially as set forth.

2. An internal combustion engine having a plurality of cylinders, a gas inlet and exhaust outlet for each of said cylinders, an

air inlet for each of a plurality of cylinders less than the whole number, a valve for each of said inlets and outlets, a pipe for compressed air connected to each of said air inlets, a master-valve in said pipe, a cam shaft driven by the engine shaft, cams on said eam shaft, means for rotating said cam shaft through a predetermined angle relatively to the engine shaft to reverse the direction in which the engine shaft is driven, and means for simultaneously opening said master-valve and efi'ecting a relative movement of said air inlet valves and the cams therefor tocause operation of said. air, inlet valves as the cam shaft is rotated, substantially as set forth.

3. An internal combustion engine having a plurality of cylinders, a gas inlet and exhaust outlet for each of said cylinders, an

air inlet for each of a plurality of cylinders of said twosh'afts axially,

less than the whole number, valves for said inlets and outlets, two shafts extending parallel to the engine shaft, cams on one of said shafts tor operatingflthe exhaust and air inlet valves, each of said cams havmg two raised portions, gearing between the engine shaft and turningthe cam termined angle relatively to the engine shaft to reversethe direction in shaft is driven, means for moving the second means operated one position for on each of said said cam shaft, means for when said second shaft is in causing both raised portions shaft through a prede-' which the engine I MoIN'rosrI, E. C, KUOKER. 

